1. Technical Field
This invention relates to a catalyst for selective hydrogenation of an organic compound for selectively conducting a catalytic hydrogenation reaction for an organic compound having various functional groups such as a carbon-carbon double bond, a carbonyl group and an aromatic unsaturated ring.
2. Background Art
Heretofore, as a selective hydrogenation reaction catalyst, platinum and palladium which are supported on a heat stable support such as alumina, carbon, silica and the like are employed.
However, these catalysts have the problems that the catalyst support itself may affect the reaction and the selectivity of the hydrogenation reaction of an aromatic unsaturated ring such as benzene is quite unstable.
Such problems are pointed out that the large change of activity of a catalyst occurs when an active metal such as platinum is dispersed on the thermally stable support, and the selectivity of a catalyst reaction remarkably differs depending on the supporting ratio of the platinum even if the support is the same, so that the selectivity of the catalyst is controlled by the addition of a poisoned metal.
There are three kinds of functional groups of an organic compound that may be hydrogenated, that is, a carbon-carbon double bond, a carbonyl group and an aromatic unsaturated ring. The resistance to hydrogenation increases in this turn.
Therefore, the selective hydrogenation means that only the double bond or the double bond and the carbonyl group are hydrogenated. In organic synthesis or the like, the increase of selectivity is quite important for maximizing the total yield.
Heretofore, researchers have endeavored themselves to develop a highly selective catalyst for the hydrogenation reactions to obtain only the above mentioned limited results.